Coin-controlled switch-operating mechanism



April 1, 1930.

R. O GILBURG COIN CONTROLLED SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 1'7, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 1, 1930. R. o. GILBURG 1,752,592

COIN CONTROLLEP SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM I Filed Oct. 1'7, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 u ml r 15 Patented Apr. 1, 1930 UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE ROY O. GILBURG, OF WAUSAU, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR '10 1VIARATHON ELECTRIC MFG. CO., OF WAUSAU, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN COIN-CONTROLLED SWITCH-OPERATING MECHANISM Application filed October 17, 1.928.

The main objects of this invention are to provide improvements in the construction of a coin-controlled, switch-operating mechanism wherein an auxiliary switch, susceptible to actuation by the weight of a coin, is employed for initially closing a circuit in which driving means are electrically connected, and wherein mechanism operatively connected with the driving means and with a main switch is used to open and close the latter and positively open the auxiliary switch for allowing the driving means to be operated a predetermined amount each time a coin is deposited.

In the drawings, I have illustrated a specii'ic embodiment of my invention, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation taken on the opposite side.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation similar to that of Fig. 1 but showing the elements in changed position.

Fig. 5 is a perspective detail of a switch element. 7 V

The general features of the construction to which this invention relates include an electric circuit comprising a pair of shunt connected switches for controlling the period of operation of a driven machine. One of the switches, hereinafter called the auxiliary switch, is capable of being closed by a coin to initially complete the circuit and actuate the driving means. The other switch, hereinafter called the main switch, comprises contact arms which are normally urged together but are separated after a measured operation of the driving means by an insulated switch opening arm which is operatively connected with the driving means.

A deposited coin is temporarily held in contact with the auxiliary switch by a trigger until after the insulated switch opening arm is rotated from between the contact arms of the main switch. After the main switch is closed in this manner, the coin is automatically released by the rotation of the trigger and the auxiliary switch is opened, allowing the circuit to remain closed through Serial No. 313,050.

the main switch until the insulated switch opening arm again separates the contact arms of the main switch. lVhen the main switch is finally opened, as above described, the cir cuit through the driving means is broken and the parts come to a standstill substantially in their starting position.

In the form shown, my invention comprises vertical panels 1 and 2, located substantially in perpendicular planes. The panel 1 is provided with a slot communicative with a coin chute or trough 3. The coin chute 3 extends diagonally downwardly from the panel 1 and terminates in a vertical open-end section 4. The side edges of section 4 ofthe, coin chute are also, open and a trigger 5 is pivotally mounted in the left-hand open edge portion.

The switch element, comprising a bell crank lever 6, is pivotally mounted on an extension 7 of the coin chute. The lower end of the bell crank lever 6 is provided with a shoe or flange 8 positioned in registration with the right-hand open edge of the section 4 of the coin chute, as viewed in Fig.1. An insulated contact member 9 is mounted 011 the upper end of the bell crank lever 6 in registration with a fixed contact member 10, mounted on a bracket 11, comprising insulating material.

When a coin is inserted through the slot in the panel 1 and into the coin chute 3, it passes downwardly into the verticalsection of the coin chute and wedges between the trigger 5 and the flange 8 of the bell crank lever 6. This wedging action causes the bell c 'ank lever 6 to be moved to the position shown in Fig. 4 in which the contact elements 9 and 10 are engaged with each other.

An operative mechanical connection is provided between the driving means controlled by the switch mechanism, comprising a connecting rod 12 which is preferably eccentrically connected with driving means, not shown, at one end and pivotally attached at its other end to a lever 13, as shown in Figs. v 2 and 3. The lever 13 is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on a stud shaft 1'1- mounted on the panel 2. The ratchet wheel 15, having a pawl 16 rigidly attached thereto, is rotatably mounted on the stud shaft 14 adjacent the lever 13. A pawl 17 is mounted on the upper extremity of the lever 13 and is provided with a spring 18. The eccentric connection between the connecting rod and the driving means, not shown in the drawing, causes the connecting rod to reciprocate and to rock the lever- 13. The pawl 17 on the lever 13 engages the teeth of the ratchet 15 and rotates the latter in anti-clockwise direction.

The pawl 16 on the stud shaft 14 is positioned in registration v ith a second ratchet wheel 20 on a shaft 21 and a pawl 22 is rigidly mounted on the ratchet wheel 20. A third ratchet wheel 23 is positioned in registration with the pawl 22 and is rotatively mounted on a shaft 24:, journaled in a bushing 25 mounted on the panel 2. The ratchet wheels may be so designed as to impart one complete rotation to the shaft 21 for any desired number of revolutions of the driving mechanism.

A disc 26 is rigidly mounted on the other end of the shaft 24: and is provided with a switch opening arm 27, comprising insulating material. This switch opening arm rotates in unison with the disc and shai'ts 26 and 2% respectively and is adapted to separate the contact arms 28 and 29 of a main switch mounted on the panel 2. The periphery of the disc 26 bears against an extension 30 of the trigger 5 and prevents the latter from being rotated in a clockwise direction under the action of a spring 31 attached at one end to the coin chute and at its other end to the trigger 5. A recess or notch 32 in the periphery of the disc 26, however, is provided for receiving the extension 30 of the trigger when the disc is in a predetermined position for allowing rotation of the trigger under the action of the spring 31 to release the coin and permit the same to fall downwardly through the open end of the vertical section a of the coin chute, and into a receptacle 33 positioned therebelow.

The trigger 5 and bell crank lever 6 of the auxiliary switch is connected by a link 34. which is pivotally attached at one end to the trigger and both slidably and pivotally attached at its other end to the bell crank lever. A slot in the link 34: accommodates a pin on the bell crank lever 6 allowing a limited amount of movement between the link and the bell crank lever.

The electric circuit shown in Fig. 1 com prises a conductor 35 which may be directly connected to the electric driving means, not shown in the drawing, and a conductor 36 which is connected with one terminal of a control switch 37. A conductor 38 is con nected with the other terminal of the control switch at one end and with the contact arm 28 of the main switch at the other end. A conductor 39 is connected at one end with the driving means and at its other end with the contact arm 29 of the main switch. When the contact arms 28 and 29 of the main switch are in engagement with each other a complete circuit is closed through the driving means.

The stationary terminal 10 of the auxiliary switch is electrically connected with the conta ct arm 29 of the main switch by a conductor l0 and the movable contact element 9 ot' the auxiliary switch is electrically connected with the contact arm 28 of the main switch by conductors 4:1 and 42. The auxiliary switch is thus shunted across the terminals of the main switch in such a manner as to allow the circuit, including the driving means, to be completed when either the main switch or the auxiliary switch is closed.

Indicating mechanism for disclosing what fraction of the amount of mechanical energy has been consumed is operatively connected to the shaft 24; by a pair of beveled gears 43 and M. The beveled gear 44 is rigid with the shaft- 21 and the beveled gear -13 is rigidly mounted on a shaft 45 journaled in a bracket 16 supported by the shaft 21. The shaft 15 extends through an aperture in the panel 1 and is provided at its external end with a head or disc 47. Suitable indicia, not shown in the drawings, may be provided on the panel 1 and the disc 47 for imlicating either the amount of mechanical energy which to be dispensed for the coin deposited or to indicate the mechanical energy already dispensed.

The starting position of the mechanism is illustrated in Fig. 1 in which both the main switch and the auxiliary switch are shown in open position. hen a coin is deposited in the coin chute 3, it passes downwardly through the inclined section thereof into the vertical section 4 where it wedges between the trigger 5 and the flange 8 of the auxiliary switch lever. This wedging action of the coin causes the hell crank lever 6 to be rotated in an anti-clockwise direction until the contact elements 9 and 10 engage each other. The closing of the auxiliary switch completes a circuit through the driving mechanism which in turn actuates the train of pawls and ratchet wheels by the movement of the connecting rod 12. The shaft 24; and the disc 26 thereon are eventually rotated in a counoer-clockwise direction by the pawl 22 and the switch opening arm 27 is rotated from between the contact arms 28 and 29 of the main switch, permitting these arms to come together and to complete a circuit through the main switch. hen the switch opening arm 27 has been rotated from the full line position in Fig. 4 to the dotted line position therein, the recess in the periphery of the disc 26 comes into registration with the arm 30 of the trigger permitting this arm to be extended by the spring 31 into the recess 32 and allowing the trigger to be rotated to the dotted line position, shown in Fig. 4. This movement of the trigger releases the coin and permits it to fall through the open end of the chute.

If more than one coin is deposited in the coin chute at once, the upper edge 5 of the trigger 5 will engage the second coin from the bottom when the trigger is in the dotted line position shown in ig. 4 and will prevent any of the coins above the bottom one.

from being discharged therewith.

When the trigger is rotated, as above described, the link 34 pivotally attached thereto positively rotates the bell crank lever 6 in a clockwise direction and disengages the two contact elements 9 and 10. The circuit through the driving means is maintained closed by the main switch during the coinreleasing operation and the disc 26 is rotated further until the switch opening arm 27 again separates the contact arms 28 and 29 of the main switch. This last increment of rotation is suflicient to cause the arm 30 of the trigger to be forced out of the recess 32 in the periphery of the disc and returned to its starting position, shown in full lines in Fig. 4. In this manner, the mechanism is automatically returned to its starting condition with both of the switches remaining open until a second coin is deposited in the coin chute, whereupon a complete cycle, identical to that above described, occurs.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a coin-controlled switch-operating mechanism of the class described, an electric circuit comprising a main switch and an auxiliary switch shunted across the terminals of the latter, a timing mechanism for periodically opening the main switch, actuating mechanism for said auxiliary switch, comprising a lever susceptible to movement by the weight of a coin for closing said circuit independently of said main switch, and means operable by said timing mechanism for releasing a coin from engagement with the latter, a link connected to said means and lever respectively for opening said auxiliary switch, said circuit being retained closed thereafter by said main switch for effecting continued rotation of said timing mechanism and resetting of said coin releasing means.

2. In a coin-controlled switch-operating mechanism for electrical driving means, an electric circuit for said driving means, comprising a main switch, timing mechanism connected with said driving means for periodically opening said main switch, and an auxiliary switch shunted across the terminals of i said main switch, a coin chute, actuating mechanism for said auxiliary switch comprising a lever at one end of said coin chute operable by engagement with a coin, a trigger in said chute for retaining a coin in engagement with said lever, and a connection between said lever and trigger for rotating said lever to open said auxiliary switch when said timing mechanism is in a predetermined position. r

3. In a coin-controlled switch operating mechanism for electric driving means, a coin chute, an electric circuit for said driving means comprising a switch having a movable element positioned at the end of said coin chute, said movable element being operable by a coin, a trigger for releasably retaining said coin in said chute in engagement with said movable switch element comprising a spring attached to said trigger tending to rotate the same to release said coin, means engaged against the extension of said trigger and operatively connected with said driving means for governing the release of said coin in the opening of said switch.

4. In a coin-controlled switch-operating mechanism for electric driving means, an electric circuit for said driving means comprising two shunt connected switches, means for guiding a coin into engagement with one of said switches for closing the same to initially energize said driving means, switch actuating mechanism connected with said driving means for periodically opening the other switch, and means governed by said switch actuating mechanism for releasing said coin from engagement with said switch comprising a link for opening the same between the open periods of the other switch.

Signed at IVausau, Wisconsin, this 13th day of October, 1928.

ROY O. GILBURG. 

